Susan Merriam

The Rise and Fall of Weather Words


Snow is on the decline. Polar vortex is on the rise. Snowmageddon is a distant memory. The terms the major networks use to describe weather events have had their ups and downs over the years.

As the world embraces the inevitability of climate change, most of us can expect more drastic weather events and with it more dramatic terminology. However, these dramatic terms also come as news networks compete for viewers’ attention and the marketing of these events becomes about increasing KPI’s as well as conveying the latest updates.

In 2014, a number of scientists were up in arms over the Weather Channel’s decision to name storms, which many felt was a marketing choice over a scientific one.

“I'm sorry, but naming winter storms is a meteorological disgrace and only leads to confusion,” text In an wrote meteorologist Steven DiMartino. Similarly in 2020, some criticized the network’s branding of a hurricane during the pandemic as “COVIDCANE 2020”.

More recently, a number of pieces and op-eds have been written on the increase in dramatic terms used by outlets. Jim Duncan from The Washington Post wrote in February, “over the past few years, an onslaught of frightening-sounding weather words and phrases has accompanied nearly every major weather happening.” Another columnist from the Toronto Star wrote, “Stop with the ‘bomb cyclones’ and the ‘thundersnow’ — the world is scary enough without alarmist weather words.”

I wondered whether these observations were rooted in reality or possibly just recency bias after the latest storm coverage. In an analysis of data from the TV News Archive, I looked at how three major networks — CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC have described weather events since June 2009. Out of 28 terms describing the weather, some trends rose to the surface.

Snow
20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

20,000

15,000

15,000

10,000

10,000

5,000

5,000

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

20,000

15,000

15,000

10,000

10,000

5,000

5,000

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Source: TV News Archive

Overall, more generic terms such as snow and rain have generally declined from 2010 to April 2022 though there are unsurprisingly seasonal rises and falls.

This decline in coverage seems independent of actual weather patterns as the annual national average of U.S. precipitation peaked in 2015, 2018, and 2019 over the same period according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Heavy Rain
1,500 1,000 500 0 1,500 1,000 500 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

1,500

15,000

1,000

10,000

500

5,000

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

1,500 1,000 500 0 1,500 1,000 500 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

1,500

15,000

1,000

10,000

500

5,000

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

1,500 1,000 500 0 1,500 1,000 500 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

1,500

1,000

500

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Source: TV News Archive

More descriptive and less frequently used phrases such as “heavy rain” and “snow shower” have declined more sharply.

Snow Shower
300 200 100 0 0 300 200 100

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

300

15,000

200

10,000

100

5,000

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

300 200 100 0 0 300 200 100

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

300

15,000

200

10,000

100

5,000

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

300 200 100 0 300 200 100 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

300

200

100

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Source: TV News Archive

Inversely, terms like bomb cyclone and polar vortex have been mentioned more frequently in recent years though still dwarf in comparison to common terms like snow and rain or even heavy rain. Due to a blizzard in January, bomb cyclone was used in 173 15-second blocks across the three networks so far this year, which is not too far behind the historically more popular term nor’easter at 223.

Bomb Cyclone
200 150 100 50 200 150 100 50 0 0 200 150 100 50 200 150 100 50 0 0

Bomb Cyclone

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

200

200

15,000

150

150

10,000

100

100

5,000

50

50

0

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0

Bomb Cyclone

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

200

200

15,000

150

150

10,000

100

100

5,000

50

50

0

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

200

200

150

150

100

100

50

50

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Source: TV News Archive

Some terms have become synonymous with consequential weather events in history such as superstorm and snowmageddon, which have sharp increases and then trail off in the years following. Superstorm, in particular, jumped significantly during coverage of Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012 and has lingered since.

Superstorm
2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 0 2,000 1,500 1,000 500

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

2,000

15,000

1,500

10,000

1,000

5,000

500

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 0 2,000 1,500 1,000 500

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

2,000

15,000

1,500

10,000

1,000

5,000

500

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Source: TV News Archive

Naming storms in this way is not new. Dubbed the Knickerbocker Storm, reporting from January of 1922 described a “million dollar snowstorm” that forced the Knickerbocker Theatre’s roof to collapse and the name to stick. In more recent years media outlets have labeled storms “snowzilla” or “snowpocalypse”.

In February 2010, one of the snowiest days on record in D.C. earned the name Snowmageddon. The Washington Post used a slew of terms to describe snowstorms around that time— snowpocalypse, snoverkill, and snow bonanza.

Snowmageddon

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

105

90

15,000

75

60

10,000

45

30

5,000

15

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

105

90

15,000

75

60

10,000

45

30

5,000

15

0

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Count of 15-second segments using the term yearly

90

60

30

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

In comparison to other weather terms monthly

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

Source: TV News Archive






Tools Used: Data: Python –⁠ Pandas
Graphs: Python –⁠ plotnine, ggplot, Illustrator




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